Gotham: After Dark - The King Slayer Read Free Page A

not much of a poker player.” Dent informed the Captain.
    “It looks like Mr. Grisham was.” Tony called out as he pointed to the table. “There’s a card in the middle of the table.”
    “Just one?” Dent said as he turned back. “Where are the others?”
    Tony looked around and then under the table. “I don’t see any.”
    Dent turned back to Mossan. “Get the butler.”
    Moments later Detective Dix returned with the butler of the house.
    “What can I help you with?” The butler asked.
    “Did your boss every play with cards?” Dent asked him, “Like poker, blackjack, solitaire?”
    “Never.” The butler coldly replied, “He found the games childish.”
    “Then what is this doing here?” Tony asked as he pointed to the evidence bag that held the playing card that was half covered in blood.
    “I don’t know.” The butler honestly answered. “He never allowed a single deck into the house. Ever.”
    “Thank you.” Mossan said as he got the detective to remove him from the den. “What are you thinking here, Dent?”
    “The killer left it.” Dent said as he walked up and took the evidence bag from Gordon. “This sick puppy is trying to send us a message.”
    “What kind of message?” Mossan asked as Dent was looking into the bag.
    “King of hearts.” Dent said as he closed the bat up. “Why would someone leave that specific here? What point is this killer trying to make?”
    “The Holy Heart Charity.” Tony answered. “Grisham is one of the charity’s board members, the chairman if I’m not mistaken.”
    “So he’s the king, and the company is the heart.” Dent said as he looked back to Mossan.
    “So he just left one card?” Mossan asked.
    “No, there are more.” Tony said as he left the room and began to sprint down the hall. Without warning, Gordon flew past the butler and the crying maid and shot up the stairs without losing his breath. He jogged down the hall to the bedroom where there was a guard stationed there to make sure people didn’t disturb it. He walked inside and wasn’t ready for what was waiting. While the kids were all killed without much fight or gore, Mrs. Grisham was the exact opposite as her scene was as bloody and personal as her husbands. Tony held his hand to his mouth as he circled around the room and began to look around. Moments later, Gordon emerged from the bedroom and slowly walked back to the staircase. Mossan, Loeb and Dent were at the bottom of the stairs waiting for him and eager to see what he had.
    “What’s the news, kid?” Dent called from the bottom.
    Tony Gordon held up another playing card. “Queen of hearts.”
    “Son of a bitch.” Dent said as his frustration was evident.
    “What’s wrong?” Loeb asked.
    “He viewed the Grishams as the king and queen.” Dent answered, “It also means this is just the beginning. Our perp is going to strike again.”
    “And how do you know that?” Loeb asked.
    Dent looked back at the detective. “There’s fifty cards left in the deck.”

His first day on the job and Falcone was feeling pretty good about it. He was wearing his lucky suit and so far it hadn’t let him down that day. His early morning interview with Don Sabatino couldn’t have gone any better. The old man liked him so much, he immediately put him to work by asking him and Joe to collect their cut from local stores downtown. Falcone took it as the compliment that it was. He was just starting and the old men trusted him to already handle some of the money. The old man was a good judge of character and he liked the way the kid handled himself so he was eager to test the boy’s alleged loyalty and there was no better way to do it then let him handle some of the money and make sure every penny came back without excuse. Falcone knew exactly that and wasn’t going to let Don Sabatino down. The first place on their list was Woo’s corner store. The old man who ran the business, Mr. Woo, was a Chinese immigrant that minded his own